SEPARATION ANXIETY! LAST CHANCE!

Question
Please help. My dog Luna is a pit bull whippet mix and is the love of my life. She's a rescue dog from an abused home. HORRIBLE ANXIETY! She can't stand loud noises or yelling. If there are any loud noises she looks as if she will die. All of these I've learned to deal with, BUT the problem is I cant leave her alone, AT ALL. I've recently been unemployed so i was always with her, she went everywhere with me, even the grocery store. I no longer have my license so I'm forced to leave her at home, and I'm working. Every time i come home she's smeared poop and pee all over my room. I can't crate her because she freaks out and while trying to escape will rip open the skin around her muzzle, and she poops in there anyway. I thought of making her a run on the side of my Dad's house, BUT she gets too cold because she's so small and there's absolutely no room for a dog house, much less a nice one that will keep her warm. I've tried to feed her only in the morning and take her to the dog park before work and run the poop out of her, but MAGICALLY her little belly produces more then she eats.

I'm lost! I don't know how to help her, and how can i move out of my Dad's house to rent somewhere when she ruins carpet? Please help me keep my Dog! I can't live without her, and we are BOTH about to get kicked out because of this.
Susan and Luna

Answer
You didn't say when you go to work, but I would stop feeding her in the mornings, and feed her when you come home, instead. Have you considered a doggie daycare? That way, she wouldn't be alone, and if she DID make a mess, it wouldn't be all over your house! **lol**

You might also consider anti-anxiety medications. You would need to talk to your vet about those, but before you do that, give the DAP plug-in a try (http://www.smartpakcanine.com/productclass.aspx?productClassId=3403&GCID=C11284x...). It contains pheromones that are supposed to help reduce anxiety. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I've had both success and failure with it, but it won't hurt to try it, if you're hesitant to put your dog on anti-anxiety drugs.

One thing that usually works to stop separation anxiety is a desensitization process, but it is pretty time consuming. Here are instructions, taken from one of my previous answers:

This technique requires that you practice leaving, when you aren't actually going anywhere. Get ready to leave, just as you always do, while saying nothing to the dog. Go to the door, open it and go out, and then close and lock the door, count to 1, and then go back in. Don't make a big deal about leaving OR coming back. You would gradually increase the amount of time you were outside the door as your dog became comfortable with you going out. If he freaks out as soon as the door closes, then start out by NOT closing the door all the way. The key here is to go >>just<< far enough so that you can progress, but >>not<< so far that he begins to spook. Eventually, you should be able to go out the door, walk to your car, get in, and drive around the neighborhood without him becoming anxious. At this point, you should be okay to take short trips to the store, etc. without crating him. Gradually, he should be fine at home alone all day.